EFUF 2024 Excursions
Maksimir Park
(Photo: Martina Kičić)
Maksimir Park
Opened in 1794 as the first public park in Southeast Europe, Maksimir is one of Zagreb’s most important and loved green spaces, attracting visitors from faraway areas. Once on the city outskirts, today it is surrounded by settlements. However, its character remains. Maksimir is a relatively big park with a total area of 316 hectares, characterized by an old oak forest on the north and landscaped park elements on the south. There are five lakes, numerous streams and meadows, as well as monuments and historical buildings. It also hosts a Zagreb ZOO. Maksimir is a biodiversity hotspot and home to over a hundred bird species, including a rather big Middle Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius) community, protected under the EU Birds Directive. Maksimir has been protected as a natural and cultural heritage site since 1948. Hence, it is unsurprising that it attracts more than two million visitors annually. It is on the European Best Destinations list as one of the best city parks in Europe.
During this excursion, you will gain insight into the ecological, biological, and social benefits that Maksimir provides. You will also have an opportunity to discuss with the park administration, urban foresters and architects all the challenges they face when managing such an important and visited area.
The view on the city of Zagreb from the Medvednica Mountain
(Photo: Martina Kičić)
Medvednica Mountain
Medvednica Mountain is one of Zagreb’s most discernible landmarks. It is partly a nature park due to its vast and diverse forest cover (81% of the park area). Forest vegetation includes a diversity of natural forests with 12 distinct forest communities. One of the most peculiar, but in a good way, is a yew-linden forest community. Because of its diversity, Medvednica boasts eight special reserves of forest vegetation established back in 1963. Medvednica Nature Park is also part of the NATURA 2000 network.
Medvednica is also an important fauna habitat, with bats being one of the most important mammals in the parks. There are more than 25 bat species, of which eight are Natura 2000 species.
Zagreb is lucky to have half of the Medvednica Mountain within its borders. It is a significant recreational area for Zagreb residents and tourists alike. There are more than 70 hiking trails, several mountain bike trails, skiing trails, mountain huts, and a recently installed cable car.
During this excursion, you will visit Medvednica Mountain, take the cable car to the top, and get a sense of the vastness of Medvednica forests. During the field trip, you will gain an insight into how to balance nature protection, sustainable recreation, and tourism with commercial forestry.
Dubravka’s Trail (Photo: Damir Dramalija)
Dubravkin Put (Dubravka’s trail)
A FOREST TRAIL TO ZAGREB’S CENTRAL FOREST PARKS
The city of Zagreb is one of the few European capitals that have the privilege of being surrounded and by large forest complexes. One third of Zagreb is covered by forests, and more than 1,500 ha are urban forests. Zagreb’s urban forests comprise 20 forest parks or various sizes that provide numerous ecosystem services.
One of the central forest parks is Tuškanac forest park, only 500m from the main Zagreb Bana Josip Jelačić square. Inside the forest park, there is a unique forest trail Dubravkin put arranged in the middle of the 19th century. It was originally called Sofia’s Path, after the Moravian countess and wife of the Croatian Ban Josip Jelačić. It got its current name in 1949 after the title character from the work “Dubravka” by the Croatian writer Ivan Gundulić, written in the 17th century. On the east it borders mostly on private land. The trail is managed by the forest management company Hrvatske šume Ltd. and its Zagreb unit “Urban Forestry”. Located along the Tuškanac stream, it connects the city centre with the top of the nearby Medvednica mountain, which is certainly a rarity in big cities. One of its features is “Open air cinema Tuškanac”.
During the study visit to this area, representatives of the state company Hrvatske šume will explain the complexity of management of the central forest parks with an emphasis on the Zagreb School of Forestry. The chirping of birds and the murmur of the stream easily pulls you away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Magnolia at the King’s Tomislav Square (Photo: Martina Kičić)
Green Horseshoe
After visiting urban forests in the city centre, you will get a guided tour throughout Zagreb’s city centre, including the Lenuci’s Green Horseshoe – a 19th century green system which consists of seven connected green squares and a Botanical Garden in the shape of a horseshoe. During this walk, we will also see Zagreb’s other famous historical landmarks.
Varaždin (Photo: Damir Dramalija)
Varaždin
Varaždin is a Baroque town located about 90 km north of Zagreb and used to be a residence of the Croatian government until the second half of the 18th century. While in Varaždin, we will visit a famous historical cemetery protected as a monument of park architecture and learn about the complexity of its management and renovation. We will walk the city centre and visit its parks and promenades, loved and visited by Varaždin residents and their guests. Some of these are the historical Vatroslav Jagić Park and the contemporary Pope John Paul II Park. On our way back to Zagreb, as a treat in the end, we will visit an interesting green space that is not publicly accessible.